Nightcrawler
Member
Okay, I've been thinking about this for awhile. My only real experience in actually carrying arms was in the Guards. That is, tromping around the woods with a SAW.
So, based on that experience, plus what I've seen/read/learned since, I have to wonder if there aren't different levels of "gear" out there to be had. That is, that which is suitable for field use, that which is suitable for street use, and that which is suitable for CCW use.
Take, for example, my pistol holsters. I have a Kramer and a High Noon, for my M625 and Colt, respectively. Both are retention level 0 and are open topped. The holster is held in place only by friction.
Now, these are designed as concealment holsters, and they work well for that task. However, I would not use either one as a duty holster, having no retention, and I certainly wouldn't use one if tromping around rough country. In my opinion, the same goes for all open-topped magazine carriers, holsters, etc. I'd worry that with no retention other than friction, if you had to low crawl, hop over a wall, or fell into a ditch, you'd lose your handgun/magazines/whathaveyou.
OTOH, some people use these types of equipment for shooting schools and 3-gunning, both of which can be physcially intensive (relatively). So I have to wonder about how useful CCW-type holsters are for situations like this. The same can be said for open topped ammunition carriers. www.3gungear.com
Street gear is kind of blurred between CCW gear and field gear. Street gear is typically what would be useful to a police officer or armed guard on patrol. Again, for situations like this, I wouldn't want open-topped ammunition carriers, but Blade-Tech, Safariland, and others all make such equipment. Well, I'd also worry about a bad guy (or some random dude, for that matter) running by and trying to snatch my magazines and whatnot.
For any use where running, jumping, or climbing is a possibility, would it be wrong to say that flapped, snapped, velcroed, or otherwise secured gear would be preferable? Or is there something I'm not seeing here?
Field use is what I equate to military use, or even for outdoorsey type stuff, wandering in rough country. Here again, especially, you don't want a retention level 0 holster. Also, for field use, I consider open bottomed holsters to be less than ideal. If you have to crawl around, you don't want all that crap getting into your pistol's muzzle.
Now, a flap holster is best for that, but makes for a painfully slow draw compared to any other type.
For my personal preferances, how much stuff I'd carry depends on the mission. If I was doing armed security or patrolling just, my gear would probably limited to a strong-side retention holster for the sidearm, plus flapped/velcroed magazine pouches for that and my long gun (if applicable). For field work, I"d probably want some kind of vest (not like a Blackhawk or Eagle vest, more like a GI LBV) or load bearing harness, with pouches for other stuff, like binos, food, water, a compass, maps, etc.
Holster wise, one can work for the other. There's no reason a police-type duty holster won't work for military/field use. Heck, a lot of "tactical/SWAT" type thigh holsters are popular in Iraq now. But you don't really need a level II or III retention holster for this type of work. Most military holsters (belt or drop leg) from Blackhawk, Eagle, Tactical Tailor, and others have only a simple thumbreak and are constructed of nylon and cordura.
So, what do you think, THR? What types of holsters and ammunition carriers to you use for the field, the street, and for CCW? Or do you even make the distinction? Would you use your CCW holster/equipment for an intensive training class, or for field work?
So, based on that experience, plus what I've seen/read/learned since, I have to wonder if there aren't different levels of "gear" out there to be had. That is, that which is suitable for field use, that which is suitable for street use, and that which is suitable for CCW use.
Take, for example, my pistol holsters. I have a Kramer and a High Noon, for my M625 and Colt, respectively. Both are retention level 0 and are open topped. The holster is held in place only by friction.
Now, these are designed as concealment holsters, and they work well for that task. However, I would not use either one as a duty holster, having no retention, and I certainly wouldn't use one if tromping around rough country. In my opinion, the same goes for all open-topped magazine carriers, holsters, etc. I'd worry that with no retention other than friction, if you had to low crawl, hop over a wall, or fell into a ditch, you'd lose your handgun/magazines/whathaveyou.
OTOH, some people use these types of equipment for shooting schools and 3-gunning, both of which can be physcially intensive (relatively). So I have to wonder about how useful CCW-type holsters are for situations like this. The same can be said for open topped ammunition carriers. www.3gungear.com
Street gear is kind of blurred between CCW gear and field gear. Street gear is typically what would be useful to a police officer or armed guard on patrol. Again, for situations like this, I wouldn't want open-topped ammunition carriers, but Blade-Tech, Safariland, and others all make such equipment. Well, I'd also worry about a bad guy (or some random dude, for that matter) running by and trying to snatch my magazines and whatnot.
For any use where running, jumping, or climbing is a possibility, would it be wrong to say that flapped, snapped, velcroed, or otherwise secured gear would be preferable? Or is there something I'm not seeing here?
Field use is what I equate to military use, or even for outdoorsey type stuff, wandering in rough country. Here again, especially, you don't want a retention level 0 holster. Also, for field use, I consider open bottomed holsters to be less than ideal. If you have to crawl around, you don't want all that crap getting into your pistol's muzzle.
Now, a flap holster is best for that, but makes for a painfully slow draw compared to any other type.
For my personal preferances, how much stuff I'd carry depends on the mission. If I was doing armed security or patrolling just, my gear would probably limited to a strong-side retention holster for the sidearm, plus flapped/velcroed magazine pouches for that and my long gun (if applicable). For field work, I"d probably want some kind of vest (not like a Blackhawk or Eagle vest, more like a GI LBV) or load bearing harness, with pouches for other stuff, like binos, food, water, a compass, maps, etc.
Holster wise, one can work for the other. There's no reason a police-type duty holster won't work for military/field use. Heck, a lot of "tactical/SWAT" type thigh holsters are popular in Iraq now. But you don't really need a level II or III retention holster for this type of work. Most military holsters (belt or drop leg) from Blackhawk, Eagle, Tactical Tailor, and others have only a simple thumbreak and are constructed of nylon and cordura.
So, what do you think, THR? What types of holsters and ammunition carriers to you use for the field, the street, and for CCW? Or do you even make the distinction? Would you use your CCW holster/equipment for an intensive training class, or for field work?
) in the closet.
